The United States wants to hold most of the inmates of a US prison camp in Cuba for the duration of the war on terrorism instead of trying them before military tribunals, Defence Secretary Donald H Rumsfeld said. The 660 or so men held at the Guantanamo Bay naval base are imprisoned not as punishment but âto keep them from going back and fighting again and killing people,â Rumsfeld said Wednesday. He said most would be held until what the United States describes as the global war on terrorism is over — a fight that Rumsfeld has said could last years, if not decades.
The defence secretary said he expects some suspects to be tried before military tribunals but prefers that most continue to be imprisoned indefinitely. âOur interest is in not trying them and letting them out,â he said in a question-and-answer session after a speech to the National Press Club. âOur interest is in — during this global war on terror — keeping them off the streets, and so thatâs whatâs taking place.â |